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Will Teasle
''Will Teasle ''is the sheriff of Hope, Washington and main antagonist of First Blood. He is best described as a redneck and a control freak that is willing to abuse his power under what he believes is "justice" to get undesirable people out of his town. Although he is the film's main antagonist and shows little remorse for his heartless actions, he is far more civilized than his old friend, Art Galt, who is the only individual to perish in the film. Teasle is the only lead antagonist in the entire Rambo film series that does not smoke, although in the novel he does. He is also the only lead antagonist not to perish. Novel The Will Teasle of the novel is far different than the adaption of Teasle in the film. In the novel, Teasle and Rambo are equals. Teasle himself served during the Korean War, which has largely been forgotten, and he isn't really as much of a villain in the book as he is in the film. Also, his wife, Anna, left him, which only contributes to his angst. In the film he isn't necessarily a bad guy, just a paranoid sheriff who wants to keep undesirables out of his town and avenge the death of his friend, Art Galt. But he is still a pretty despicable character who victimizes Rambo despite the fact that he did nothing to deserve it. David Morrell has stated that the key to his novel working is the way scenes alternated between Rambo’s and Teasle’s viewpoints so that the reader doesn’t know who to cheer for. Also, in the book Rambo really was as much to blame as Teasle was, because he was angry and looking for a fight. Rambo in the film is a more reasonable man who doesn't want any trouble, just some lunch. All in all, in the novel both Rambo and Teasle are technically the villains, as Rambo is a psychotic while Teasle is confused on what he wants exactly. In the film, he has less screen time than Rambo, and therefore, less development. Teasle also succumbs to his wounds inflicted by Rambo and dies. In the book, Teasle isn't Sheriff of Hope, Washington, but the Chief of Police of Madison, Kentucky and his name is Wilfred Teasle. In the movie, he carries a standard-issue law enforcement Smith & Wesson Model 66 stainless steel service revolver, chambered in .357 Magnum. In the book, however, he is said to carry a Browning Hi-Power semi-automatic pistol, chambered in 9 millimeter. He is described as a smaller man, around 5'7 in height and average weight, wheras in the film he is a much more physically imposing man. First Blood The overzealous and paranoid sheriff is first seen spotting drifter John Rambo, and seeing his ungroomed appearance, assumes him as a hippie, and offers to give him a ride. Because it is December, he accepts, and asks if there is a restauraunt he could get a bite to eat. Teasle tells him that he can't eat in his town and if he wants to eat than he will have to hitchhike 30 miles up the highway. Teasle drives Rambo to the city limits, but a hungry Rambo turns back, only to be arrested for vagrancy. His old friend, deputy Art Galt books him and begins beating him up. Rambo is hosed down with a high-pressure fire hose and beaten with a nightstick, but before he can be dry shaven, Rambo has flashbacks to his traumatic days when he was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Rambo snaps and fights his way out of the police station, fleeing into the mountains. A big hunt starts and Art Galt flies after Rambo in a helicopter, attempting to shoot Rambo in cold blood. Rambo is shot at repeatedly with a rifle, and Rambo is forced to hurl a large rock at the chopper so he doesn't die. Because Galt wasn't wearing his seatbelt, he falls to his death and Teasle vows to avenge his friend. He goes into the woods with a team of heavily armed deputies, but Rambo uses his green beret skills to improvise weaponry and use his survival knife to wound the soldiers. He sneaks up on Teasle and tells him to "let it go", but Teasle's anger seems to only be fueled by this, and he vows to kill Rambo. Colonel Sam Trautman, Rambo's former commander, arrives in town from Washington D.C. and reveals that Rambo wasn't really a hippie, but was actually a homeless veteran that was sleeping in the woods because America hated veterans so much. Trautman suggests letting Rambo go so nobody else gets hurt, but Teasle refuses. Rambo finally escapes a rocket blast by crawling through an old mine, hijacks a National Guard truck, and drives through a police blockade back to town. Rambo takes an M60 heavy machine gun from the back of the truck and blows up the town's gas station and a gun store. Rambo also knocks the power out to the town and begins destroying main street with machine gun bullets. Teasle gets to the roof of the destroyed police station and attempts to kill Rambo, but he Rambo shoots repeatedly through the roof and a wounded Teasle painfully falls through a glass skylight. A bitter Teasle eggs Rambo on to kill him, only to be stopped by Trautman. Teasle is last seen being taken to the hospital. Even though Rambo never killed anyone except unwillingly killing Galt, Teasle is furious that he did not get his revenge on Rambo. His life after the events of First Blood is largely unknown. He most likely received a disability retirement and moved away. Teasle's police car is a 1977 Ford LTD II. Quotes *"First of all, you don't ask the questions around here. I do. Understand? Second, we don't want guys like you in this town, drifters. Next thing we know, we got a whole bunch of guys like you in this town. That's why. Besides, you wouldn't like it here anyway. It's just a quiet little town. In fact, you might say it's boring. But that's the way we like it. And I get paid to keep it that way." *"Dammit, Dave, you think this kid just waltzed into town, announced he was a Medal Of Honor winner, and then I just leaned on him for the hell of it? I tried to do him a favor, I treated him like he was one of my neighbor's kids. I did my job, Dave, I booked him for vagrancy and resisting arrest." *"Why don't you go out there and take a look at what's left of my men? You'll see how motivated I am, Dave, and if that doesn't do it for you why don't you go have a talk with Art Galt's widow?" *"I'm warning you boy, don't make a move or I'll blow your head off!" *(After being told by Trautman that Rambo will kill him) "Everybody dies". *"It doesn't make one goddamn bit of difference, Dave, and you know it! If one of my deputies... gets out of line with a prisoner then the prisoner comes to me with it. And if I find out it's like he says I kick the deputy's ass! *Me*! The *Law*! People start fucking around with the law then all hell breaks loose! Whatever possessed God in heaven to make a man like Rambo?" *"Well, we all appreciate your concern Colonel, I will try to be extra careful!" *"Now don't give me any of that crap Trautman. Do you think Rambo was the only guy who had a tough time in Vietnam? He killed a police officer for Christ's sake!" *"Goddammit, what the hell do you think this is? Some kind of a circus?" *"If you want some friendly advice, get a haircut and take a bath. You wouldn't get hassled so much." *"You know, we're just a small, hick-town sheriff's department colonel, but we're expected to do our duty just like our heroes in the Special Forces." *(After being told that he picked the wrong man to push) "No, Trautman. HE picked the wrong man!" Category:First Blood Category:Police Officer Category:Villain Category:Characters Category:Villains